


Osso Buco

by Ndeplume



Series: The Cabin [1]
Category: The Old Guard (Comics), The Old Guard (Movie 2020)
Genre: Cabin Fic, Comfort No Hurt, Family, Fluff, Food, Found Family, M/M, Nicky-centric, No Smut, Post-Mission
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-22
Updated: 2021-01-22
Packaged: 2021-03-14 16:08:44
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,714
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28923351
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ndeplume/pseuds/Ndeplume
Summary: The simple things in life were important when you were on the run. Material objects came to have little meaning when they seemed to become obsolete moments after you learned to use them. One thing that never failed to comfort everyone was a good meal. Nicky took it upon himself to provide that for his family whenever and wherever he could.After months on the run, they all deserved a proper meal and Nicky knew just what to make.
Relationships: Joe | Yusuf Al-Kaysani/Nicky | Nicolò di Genova
Series: The Cabin [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2121393
Comments: 1
Kudos: 100





	Osso Buco

**Author's Note:**

> Quynh and Andy are always married, I just didn't tag them as a relationship in this fic because they're not the main focus of this one and I didn't want to lead anyone astray. 
> 
> Anyways, enjoy some found family fluff!

Nicolo had come to treasure the simple things in life. Waking up in Joe’s arms. Hearing the birds sing. Feeling sun on his skin. Wine. A good meal. The sound of a sharp knife hitting the cutting board. Cards with his family. Joe’s hair when it was long. His beard. His stubble when his beard was shaved. Most of the rest of the list revolved around his Yusuf. There was one extravagance that Nicolo treasured above all else; a proper homemade meal. 

They had all experienced awful deaths and months of pain. Even Nile in her century of life had experienced so much misery and pain that it hurt Nicky just to think of what she’d gone through. Nile was incredibly strong. Even in the face of absolute hopelessness and despair, she brought out the best in all of them. She also knew now more than ever the importance of a good meal. They had all starved many times over. They had all spent years on the run, sleeping wherever they could for as much time as possible before having to wake up and keep running. So two days ago, when Booker had landed them a cabin in the middle of the Canadian Rocky Mountains, everybody leapt at the chance to lay low. The first thing Nicky did was go grocery shopping. 

Nicky tried to provide one for his family whenever he could. When Nile joined them on that first night, he made them minestrone. When Quynh returned to them, Nicky made her favourite dish, bún bò Huế. A noodle soup with many ingredients that had been difficult to find, but Nicky tracked them down. When Andy regained her immortality upon her reunion with Quynh, Nicky made Greek lamb and rice. When Yusuf felt upset or was in a bad mood, Nicky made Kamounia, a dish they’d discovered in Joe’s birthplace which he had said tasted so much like the dish his mother used to make that he remembered what home looked like when he tasted it. When Booker returned to them, Nicky spent all day preparing Boeuf Bourguignon for him. He found substitutes for pork so that he and Joe could eat all the dishes (they had long ago accepted each other’s dietary restrictions as their own). 

Nicky’s dish was Osso Buco. 

Joe had been insistent that he prepare it. Nicky normally let his husband do the grocery shopping since he found superstores nowadays to be far too overwhelming and Joe was an expert when it came to all ingredients. Even fruits and vegetables that were new to them took him no time to figure out. He could tell which spices were best and which cuts of meat were freshest and perfect for whatever dish Nicky was preparing. But this time, the pair had gone together to the superstore. Nicky couldn’t sit still in the cabin and Andy and Booker were cleaning the place up so he’d volunteered to join his husband simply to have a distraction. Besides, Joe grounded him. After months of fighting and running and hiding and fighting some more, Nicky was on edge, his nerves frayed. That was why Joe insisted he make his favourite comfort dish. 

Picking out groceries was harder than he’d expected. Nicky kept a solid grasp on Joe’s arm the whole time. After being awake for nearly 36 hours, he felt panicky. His husband had the good sense to get them some tea from a nearby café before they went in so he had a warm thing in his hand to hold, something to sip on, the edge of the cup to chew on. Nicky hated grocery stores. 

Joe delighted in them. He loved showing Nicky the newest snacks, the new flavours of soda, new foods and inventions. It kept Nicky distracted and Joe loved to try new fun things. Besides, since Nile had come, they had expanded their palettes quite a bit since she was familiar with so many of the things they’d never been able to make or never bothered trying. Oreos was the family’s favourite so Joe picked up a few boxes. There was supposed to be a storm coming in the next week or so, and while they’d have to go back to the grocery store before it came, it never hurt to be stocked up on snacks. “Almost as sweet as you.” Joe would say as he pulled the boxes off the shelves. Nicky snorted, headbutting him lovingly. 

They returned home around 9:30 am. They had been driving all night the night before and had done the grocery shop as soon as they arrived in the little valley. Nicky was exhausted. Joe practically carried him into the cabin. 

“Right to bed with you, Nico.” Joe hummed. “Have a nap. I’ll put all the groceries away and when you’re up, we can start making dinner together.” He promised. Nicky was too tired to complain. He fell asleep on the couch, not even able to make it to bed. Nile joined him soon after and the pair napped, tangled together. 

Nicky woke up around 1 o’clock, his stomach growling. Nile had woken up shortly before him and was scrolling on her phone, tucked between Nicky’s body and the back of the couch. He watched as she played a short video of a tiny dog with a massive stick walking down a path. Nicky’s quiet chuckle alerted her to the fact that he’d woken. She lifted her head and grinned at him before sitting up so Nicky could get off the couch. He squeezed her in a hug gently before standing, kissing her temple as he did. 

Joe was sitting on a nearby chair, one leg over the back and the other over the side as he dangled off of it, sketchbook in hand. He was doodling Nile and Nicky on the couch and was working on the shading of the quilt that had been draped over them. 

“Hi Tesoro.” Nicky hummed, wrapping his arms around Joe’s shoulders as he peered over him to see the sketch. “You’re getting much better at the braids.” He murmured, kissing his husband’s hair. Nile’s braids were intricately piled on top of her head and there were a few draped down her shoulder. Joe had captured them perfectly. Nicky kissed the top of his head once more and stood up, making his way to the kitchen. 

Nicky knew the recipe for Osso Buco off by heart. He didn’t often get the chance to make it but that hardly mattered. It was a very old recipe, one which he’d learned while he and Joe had stayed in a region north of his hometown for a while. He had altered the basic recipe over the years and had experimented with different cuts of veal, different vegetables, stocks, broths, liquors, and had finally settled on the perfect recipe. 

The reason Nicky loved Osso Buco so much was rather simple. It was a simple dish, though it took hours to cook. This was a dish Nicky cooked at home for his family. He could only make it when they were all together and when they had the time and space and ability to cook. In other words, this was a dish they could only make when they were safe, when they had a way to cook, and when they were together as a family. It made a large amount of food so everyone could have as much as they wanted. 

Nicky hummed to himself as he got to work. He deftly chopped all the vegetables and prepared the meat. He added the wine, the vegetables, the broth, and finally put in the veal shank (bone-in of course) along with all the spices. He set it on the stove to cook and that was where he’d leave it for hours, simmering on low. They had an oven here so after a few hours, Nicky transferred the pot to the oven to finish off. 

He then began to make risotto. A much quicker process, Nicky moved around the kitchen with purpose as he chopped. He called Joe in to grate the parmesan cheese and stir the rice since it needed constant supervision (“just like my husband”, Nicky would add fondly). Nicky danced around, adding ingredients and broth as needed. 

As the cabin was filled with a mouthwatering aroma, the rest of their family trickled into the kitchen. It was nearing 7 o’clock and everyone was hungry. Nicky had sliced bread, whipped up a quick bruschetta, and poured everyone wine. They chattered amongst themselves. Booker and Joe discussed the latest match of whatever sport they were watching these days. Nile and Quynh talked about going on a hike the next day before the snow came. Andy simply sat back and watched as her family, finally together, healed from a stressful few months. 

Nicky clinked his glass with hers, taking a rare break from cooking to sit next to her for a minute. Joe was stirring the risotto after all, so he could afford a moment’s rest. They sat in comfortable silence. They didn’t need to say anything. Both immortals understood the importance of this moment, the beauty and wholesomeness of this place. They sipped their wine and shared a fond glance before Nicolo’s timer went off. 

Dinner was spectacular. The risotto was perfectly cooked. Not a single grain of rice was under or overcooked. The veal from the Osso Buco fell right off the bone. The vegetables were beautifully tender and there was plenty of food for everyone. Nile put on a playlist for them to listen to while they made conversation and ate, which ended up being a good thing because nobody said a word for a full ten minutes after the food was on the table. 

Each of them had their own preferences when it came to food. They all made fond memories from different times, they all came to appreciate the little things. Their lives were difficult. They so rarely had time to themselves despite their long lives. They all fought for their own reasons. Money, morality, boredom, anger, whatever it was, they worked together and got the job done. Yet no matter what the reason, each one of them could agree that moments like these were worth fighting for.


End file.
